Closer Look: ASUS GeForce GTX-465

So far, 2010 has been an exciting year for game developers. Microsoft Windows 7 (and updated Windows Vista) Operating Systems introduced gamers to DirectX-11, allowing video games released for the PC platform to look better than ever. DirectX-11 is the leap in video game software development we've been waiting for. Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) is given emphasis in DX11, allowing some of the most detailed computer textures gamers have ever seen. Realistic cracks in mud with definable depth and splintered tree bark make the game more realistic, but they also make new demands on the graphics hardware. This new level of graphical detail requires a new level of computer hardware: DX11-compliant hardware. Tessellation adds a tremendous level of strain on the GPU, making previous graphics hardware virtually obsolete with new DX11 game titles.

The ASUS GeForce GTX-465 video card, model ENGTX465/2DI/1GD5, offers gamers a healthy dose of graphics processing power for their money. But the GeForce GTX-465 is more than just a tool for video games, it's also a tool for professional environments that make use of GPGPU-accelerated compute-friendly software, such as Adobe Premier Pro and Photoshop.

The ASUS ENGTX465/2DI/1GD5 retail package is fairly basic: graphics card, support manual, driver software, a dual four-pin Molex PSU to six-pin PCI-E power adapter, DVI into HDMI adapter, and DVI into VGA (D-Sub) adapter. The ASUS GeForce GTX-465 kit does not include any bundled free PC video games, but it does offers the CUDA-enabled applications NVIDIA Design Garage and Supersonic Sled on a supplemental software CD.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX-465 is a 2.67" tall double-bay, 4.376-inches (111.15mm) wide graphics card with a 9.5-inch (241.3mm) long profile. The ASUS GeForce GTX-465 retains the reference cooler design, which is more than adequate for the reduced-output Fermi GPU, but adds an interesting faux carbon-fiber finish to the top of the product.

As with past GeForce video cards, the Fermi GPU offers two output 'lanes', so all three output devices cannot operate at once. NVIDIA has retained two DVI outputs on the GeForce GTX 465, so dual-monitor configurations can be utilized. By adding a second video card users can enjoy GeForce 3D-Vision Surround functionality.

Other changes occur in more subtle ways, such as replacing the S-Video connection with a more relevant (mini) HDMI 1.3a A/V output. In past GeForce products, the HDMI port was limited to video-only output and required a separate audio output. Native HDMI 1.3 support is available to the GeForce GTX 465, which allows direct output to HDTVs and compatible monitors.

The new 40nm fabrication process opens the die for more transistors, now increased from 1.4-billion in GT200 GPU present on the GeForce GTX 285, to an astounding 3.2-billion built into the Fermi GF100 GPU and used with the ASUS GeForce GTX-465 (the same amount that resides on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480).

Similar to the past generation NVIDIA products, the GeForce 400-series also supports triple-SLI capability. While the GTX 465 disables five Streaming Multiprocessor Units (SMU's) from the Fermi architecture, a heavy-duty thermal management system is still necessary. The plastic fan shroud unsnaps for the rest of the unit without any tools, and reveals a large finsink with four heat-pipe rods spanning from the GPU. Under load the ASUS GeForce GTX-465 video card reached 82°C in a 20°C room with no additional cooling assistance from the computer case.

Upon close inspection of the printed circuit board (PCB), there's an opening beneath the blower fan that allows intake air to be drawn from either side of the unit. This pays dividends when the GeForce GTX 465 is added into an SLI or triple-SLI set.

Even with its mid-range intentions, the PCB is a busy place for the GeForce GTX 465. Many of the electronic components have been located to the 'top' side of the PCB, so to better accommodate the fully-grown 530 mm2 GF100 GPU and its 3.2-billion transistors. 352 CUDA cores operate at 1215 MHz, which keeps a firm lead over ATI's 850 MHz Cypress GPU that measures 334 mm2 and fits 2.154-billion transistors.

In the next several sections Benchmark Reviews will explain our video card test methodology, followed by a performance comparison of the ASUS ENGTX465/2DI/1GD5 against several of the most popular mid-range graphics accelerators available. The GeForce GTX 465 will compete against the ATI Radeon HD 5850 and several other middle-market video cards; so we'll be keeping a close eye on comparative performance and value.

Thanks for finding that typo - it's been fixed. I'll update the chart, too, since those products shouldn't be included. Even though the game allows them to benchmark with the same settings, they're not compliant and likely ignore the DX11 extensions.

When it comes to the value numbers you provide I count 5 wins for the 5850 and 4 for the 465 (RE5 is clearly a 465 win).

And by the way, I don't count the two parts of 3D vantage as separate tests.

So not only is the 5850 the faster card with over half the tests won, more importantly, it also offers the most bang for your buck! All according to your own figures!

At least to me, this would count as a clear win for the 5850, but that is hardly what I see in the summary.

Also worth mentioning i think: Having been on Newegg on a few occasions, $305 seemed a bit steep for a 5850, and for aspiring customers for a graphics card, I can tell a 5850 can be found for $285. Only $5 more expensive than the price for the 465 you are quoting, and with that small difference I think the value numbers throughout the test would look a bit different.

Based on NewEgg prices today, nearly every single Radeon HD 5850 is priced above $305 with an average price of $325 (I did the math). Conversely, several models of the GTX-465 sells for as little as $250, with an average price of $260. That makes the Radeon HD 5850 22~25% more expensive... but does it perform 22~25% better? No, it doesn't. It doesn't even perform better than the GTX-465 all of the time; only 'some' of the time... slightly more than half (as you point out). So should a card that costs $55-75 more than GTX-465 be considered the best value when it doesn't even offer a relative boost to performance? I don't think so.You should also check your math on the cost per FPS, because the GTX-465 beats the Radeon 5850 in nearly all of them.

I came here to see just how much red raging rooster ATI bias was here on the gtx465.I thank you and congratulate you for your response to the commenter. I sit here absolutely STUNNED. I can't believe that somebody didn't just "take it" and nearly agree with the ati fan fraud. THANK YOU SO MUCH. My faith in humanity has been renewed. Believe me, I really, really appreciate it.Sincerely sick of the rampant red bias, SiliconDoc

From the power consumption section: "A baseline test is taken without a video card installed inside our test computer system, which is allowed to boot into Windows-7 and rest idle at the login screen before power consumption is recorded. Once the baseline reading has been taken, the graphics card is installed and the system is again booted into Windows and left idle at the login screen. Our final loaded power consumption reading is taken with the video card running a stress test using FurMark. Below is a chart with the isolated video card power consumption (not system total) displayed in Watts for each specified test product."

Power supply efficiency is not taken into consideration for any of our reported results. Only the motherboard, processor, memory, SSD, and video card are drawing power. The math is simply idle/load result minus baseline.

hey do you know that i got my zotac gtx 465 at just 7250 which is $147.17(converted to USD) and the 5850 costs 14950 which is $303.48.At this price i can sli a gtx 465 and when you sli a gtx 465 against a 5850 clearly 465's the winner.I dunno why the prices aren't coming down for the 5850.